National Parks of Utah: Canyonlands

Silence and solitude is what awaits you in Canyonlands National Park. The snowy peaks of the La Sal Mountains come down and transforms into a desert landscape full of vast canyons, mesas and buttes. This wilderness is rugged and primal.  The land appears unchanged to what I imagine it was like hundreds of years ago. It’s the perfect place to enjoy the serenity and silence of Mother Nature. The surrounding landscape makes a person feel small. Canyonlands is what I would now consider, a hidden gem of the United States. 

Loaded Up!

Canyonlands was established as a National Park on September 12, 1964 and was then expanded to its present size in 1971. Encompassing 527 square miles, the park is divided into four districts; The Maze, Island in the Sky, The Needles and the rivers themselves. Each district is divided off from the Colorado River and its tributaries that flow through the park. Unfortunately for us, we did not have the time available to visit each district so we called in advance and spoke to a park ranger about our predicament. We only had one night we could spend in the park. It was recommended that we spend our time in The Needles district as it encapsulates most of what the park has to offer and is considered the most beautiful. Unlike our other journeys, we would be backpacking through Canyonlands, meaning all of our gear, tent included, would be on our backs. We packed up our bags at our basecamp in Arches. Tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, extra clothes, food and water were all stuffed into our backpacks. When our packing was complete, Kitty's pack weighed between 30 and 40 pounds and mine between 50 and 60 pounds. We reserved a backcountry permit that allowed us to camp miles deep into the park. This permit was acquired months prior to our trip and is required to do any backcountry camping so if this is something you are interested in, make sure to get your permit. They sell out quick! 

Our campsite was located in an area called Chesler Park, also recommended to us by the park ranger. After staying there, I would recommend it too. There are five camp spots available in Chesler Park and ours would be Chesler Park 3 or CP3. The hike to camp was 4.5 miles of rugged desert terrain that followed the contours of the canyons. We hiked as water would flow, the landscape providing the route in which it wanted us to go. Fortunately, a majority of our elevation gain was in the first mile of the hike, then we traversed through a series of ups and downs. Kitty's knee started to bother her by this point in the hike. A heavy load on your back puts a lot of strain on the joints. She’s tough though and pushed through it, continuing on. The sun peaked out from behind the clouds and the surrounding rock and sand began to warm up. Layers of clothing are a must. 

About half way through our hike in, we ran into another hiker at a crossroads in the trail. She was an older woman, still in peak shape. I bring this woman up because she is a true badass and will be a lifelong inspiration to me. This lady was from St. George, UT and was celebrating her retirement by hiking through The Mighty 5 and other public lands, all the way back to her home; more than 500 hundred miles in all. She estimated it would take her until about mid-May to complete the journey. Keep in mind, it was March 18th, when we met her. 

When we came across her, she asked me what day it was and informed us that we were the first people she had seen in about three or four days. She had been on trail for nine days at this point, hiking all day and resting whenever her legs got tired. This woman's story was intriguing and I had to know more. Kitty, me and this lady hiked together for a couple miles having constant conversation. Most of which consisted of her responding to Kitty and I's endless questions. Her travels started a long time ago, scouting out her route and burying multiple cache's throughout the desert that would allow her to resupply on food, water and other necessities. 

She carried six days of food and water on her back at this time, resulting in a heavy load. This woman was small, her pack being as big as she was, but you could tell she was strong; physically and mentally. It made me chuckle how she got frustrated to see that rain water had collected in multiple crevices in the rocks. She made the comment that she wouldn't have packed as much water if she knew there was so much standing water available. What a cool lady, I thought! We split ways and she continued on her trek and we on ours. Thinking about it now, she's probably still out there trudging on, one step at a time until she returns home. I never did catch her name but she left her mark on me and she'll be in my prayers for safety during her travels.

 

At last, we reached our campsite. The rock and canyons gave way to rolling hills of open ground, filled with sage brush and various cacti. The straps from our backpacks had started digging into our shoulders and it was a relief to take them off to start pitching the tent. With camp set, we sat down in the dirt to relax and enjoy the view of our surroundings. From the doors of the tent, the openness of the countryside expanded until meeting the sandstone spires that appeared as rocket ships waiting to lift off towards the sky. The pointed ends of these rock creations explained how The Needles earned its name. We relaxed in the shade of a juniper tree that surrounded our tent. We ate our lunches, accompanied only by silence and peace. Once we were fueled back up, it was back on the trail. Our next destination; Druid Arch.

  

Druid Arch

We traversed back from which we came and then veered off the trail to the right to join up with another trail that would take us to Elephant Canyon. From camp, our hike was roughly 3.5 miles to the arch. The route down into Elephant Canyon was steep and treacherous in some parts. Each step was carefully considered before taking it. We reached the bottom of the canyon and the trail flattened out for the most part. The rest of the trail would primarily follow a dried river bed, cairns leading our path forward. The hike to the arch was tough with the last section of the trail being steep, even requiring to climb a man-made ladder in order to continue on. This ladder has since broke and the trail is currently shut down until repairs can be made. We emerged from the inner canyon and there, the arch stood. There are so many arches in this part of Utah but Druid Arch was different. The arch stands 150-feet tall and sets on a pedestal of rock above the surrounding scenery. It almost seemed like it was on display like some type of trophy. What I found special about Druid Arch, is that it appeared as an unnatural phenomenom that had zero explanation of its placement. Even though geology can explain its existence, it still seemed out of place. Think of Stonehenge or the Easter Islands heads. Another hiker described it to us as being "very druidy", whatever that means. 

After spending some time hanging out in the presence of the arch, we thought it was best to start the hike back to camp. We arrived just in time to prepare dinner and eat while watching the sun set behind the rocks. The temperatures began to drop as the sun disappeared. We had covered a little over 10 miles that day and both us were tired and ready to hit the sack. As the darkness overcame, so did the silence. We crawled into our sleeping bags, closed our eyes and both fell asleep within minutes. The following day, we broke down camp, packed up and hiked back to our car, taking a different route through Elephant Canyon. As we left Canyonlands, our first backpacking experience together was complete. It is something we definitely plan to do again.  

Newspaper Rock

Newspaper Rock can be found just outside of the park gates along Highway 211. It is a state historical monument that is made up of a rock panel with a large collection of petroglyphs carved into it. The people this rock has seen and the stories it can tell are truly amazing. Archaeologists believe the panel records roughly 2,000 years of human activity on it. From the Fremont and Pueblo cultures to the Ute and Navajo tribes, even European settlers, this rock captures our past in a profound way. There is not much known about the interpretation of the etches the rock face holds but one could use their imagination and probably be fairly close to their representation. My personal favorite was the sketch of the hunter on horseback shooting his bow at a deer. Seeing that, I was proud to say that I am a hunter and carry on the tradition of harvesting game to sustain my family. 

Must Do's: Our time spent in Canyonlands was limited to our backpacking trek. We spent a total of one and a half days here. The park offers plenty of hikes, trails to bike, boating on the rivers and overnight backpacking treks. Like most of Southern Utah, Canyonlands also provides excellent off-roading opportunities. Many of the roads through the park are unpaved and high clearance, 4WD vehicles are recommended. Being the hikers that we are, the hike to Druid Arch is a must-do. The trail is 5.4 miles one way from the parking area and can be pretty strenuous. I would highly recommend it though, as the destination was outstanding. Newspaper Rock is another must-see. Technically located outside of the park gates, you will pass Newspaper Rock on the drive into or out of Canyonlands. It is well worth a stop. I would recommend to anyone wanting to visit this park to spend a little time researching it. There is a lot of activities to do and a ton of land to explore. 

When To Go: Like all of the other parks in Utah, Spring and Fall are the best times to visit. The busiest times are April through May and September through October, when temperatures are comfortable and consistent. We went in mid-March and the weather was perfect, although we just missed some snow the week before. March can be hit or miss weather-wise. It got chilly at night with low's in the upper 30's, while highs were in the 50's and 60's by the afternoon. Extreme heat is common in the summer months and triple digits are regularly seen. If you decide to travel in the summer, be prepared and drink plenty of water. As far as time spent in Canyonlands, I really can't provide a good answer. From my research, it seems a person needs at least two whole days here to get the full experience involving a good blend of hikes, sight-seeing and other activities. In this amount of time, a person would have plenty of time to explore Island in the Sky and The Needles districts. The Maze, however, is very remote and access is through unpaved roads that often required 4WD vehicles. A trip through The Maze could take you anywhere from three to seven days so be prepared. Permits are required for river trips in Canyonlands. 

The Needles

What I loved most about Canyonlands was the quiet. I found it comforting to be able to sit and listen, only to hear nothing. At times, the silence could be deafening to our ears. Only you and your thoughts. Of course, Kitty and I broke the silence with conversation but I think both of us enjoyed how still the Earth seemed while here. When our conversations would come to a halt, no other sounds existed. No birds chirping, no bugs buzzing, absolutely nothing. I found solace in being in a place so remote and wild. There were no sounds of cars honking, dogs barking or the noise of a development being constructed nearby. Canyonlands is the premier spot to get away from it all and immerse yourself in the solitude that the Earth can provide. I think it is good for everybody to disconnect their minds from time to time of the constant thoughts we are forced to think about in our modern society. Out there, amongst the canyons, the hustle and bustle of the real world was forgotten and true peace was discovered. 

Want more information on the park or our trip? Leave a comment or send me a direct message. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have!

Until next time...stay wild. 

Brock

Canyonlands Website: https://www.nps.gov/cany/index.htm